Legendary Trenton hoops coach Price passes away

One of the most legendary coaches in Trenton sports history died this past weekend.

Dr. Fred Price, who guided the Trenton High boys basketball teams for 15 years from the mid-’50s into the late ‘60s, died after a long illness.

A 1942 graduate of Trenton Catholic Boys High, Price would be involved in many memorable games against his alma mater and its equally-legendary coach Fr. Clarence O’Shea.

Last May Price was presented with the Fr. Clarence Coaching Award by the Golden Wave Club which is made up of former TC students, many of them basketball players who he coached against.

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“I’m so gratified that the Golden Wave Club was able to acknowledge Fred’s lifelong accomplishments and good deeds,” said Golden Wave Club president Bob Plumeri. “I will forever remember the sparkle and joy in his eyes when he was presented with the O’Shea Award. He will always be in our prayers.”

Funeral arrangements are still being completed according to Price’s wife Vivian.

Price starred in basketball and baseball at Trenton Catholic and later at Villanova. He served in World War II in the Pacific. He signed a minor league baseball contract after graduation, but his pro career was ended by an injury

Price won 246 games as the Tornadoes coach, guiding four of his teams to a state title game and winning the Tornadoes last title in 1961 with a 24-0 club that featured legendary stars George Lee and Tal Brody. In 196Price returned to Trenton High this spring when Lee and Brody had their numbers retired - 50 years after their greatest accomplishments.

His 1962-63 and ‘63-64 squads made it to the Group IV title game but lost both years by a basket to a Hillside team coached by a young Rollie Massimino who would go on to win an NCAA title at Villanova. Price’s ‘63-64 squad lost in the state final played at Rutgers, 59-58, on a shot that rolled off the rim at the buzzer

“No one remembered me when I got back (from WW II) and I started teaching in the Trenton schools I couldn’t be sacriligious and tell them I was a Golden Wave,” Price laughed when he accepted the O’Shea Award from the Golden Wave Club in May.

His passing comes two weeks after a former Fr. O’Shea assistant coach and early Golden Wave honoree - John Clancy- died.

Price earned a doctorate at Southern Mississippi and was an administrator with the NJSIAA after retiring from Trenton High. In the early days of local television he was color commentator on N.J. Network games on Channel 52 with Dick Landis.